186 
SALMON-FISHERY. 
striking; for whilst some, in their less ornament¬ 
ed costume, were riding astride upon their horses, 
those of higher rank, with finer clothes, were 
sitting in easy and richly-carved side-saddles, 
holding in their right hand the rein, and in their 
left, a whip of black leather, prettily variegated 
with the white quills of the feathers of the eider- 
duck, which they contrive to mix in the braids. 
Seated upon a heap of stones, in one place, was 
to be seen a chearful groupe of Icelanders with a 
bowl of skiur or of butter before them, which they 
were eating as a relish to the dry but uncooked 
heads of the cod-fish; and, at a little distance 
from them, a party of Danes had laid aside their 
favorite pipe, and were regaling themselves with 
slices of smoked salmon, placed between rye- 
bread and butter, which they every now and then 
washed down with the contents of their rum- 
bottle. On arriving at the banks of the river, 
about six miles from Reikevig, I remarked a nu¬ 
merous party of men and women wading in the 
water up to their knees or even waists, and catch¬ 
ing with their hands the fish which swarmed in 
the deeper parts of the stream. As soon as 
caught, they threw them on shore, where another 
party was employed in counting them and fling¬ 
ing them into wooden panniers, in which they 
were to be conveyed upon the horses to Reikevig, 
and there salted. Mr. Savigniac, who displayed 
